Mission Mission

Famous people are always invading our favorite Mission food spots these days.  Whether it’s Lady Gaga at Rosamunde (or El Farolito) or Steve Jobs at Flour and Water, celebrities seem to constantly be seeking that “edge” with their suppers.  Perhaps that validates all the rest of us who live here, or maybe it just makes us trendy.  Not Dave Chappelle though.  He just really likes Indian food, and Pakwan has really good Indian Food.  (One time I saw Sarah Silverman at St. Francis, but all she ordered were egg whites.)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about this fellow in the limo outside our “it” donut shop.  Whoever it was obviously forgot to consult Sexpigeon, the undisputed expert of Mission donut appreciation.  Aw, now I miss that guy.  New York does not deserve him.

MrEricSir posted these videos about Swan, AKA the Pigeon Whisperer, who we mentioned a few of days ago. The documentary was directed by one of his best friends and ex-coworkers of 30 years.

Turns out Swan’s real name is John Ratliff. He was once a gifted television news reporter and father of four until schizophrenia overtook his life and moved him into the streets, where he has rejected any help from his family and friends. It’s really an amazing and tragic story that you should set aside some time to watch today.

[via MrEricSir]

Artist Iris Alden wrote in to share a story:

I’m a local artist/barback/sometimes I work at Adobe Book Shop. I’m guessing, what with your throughly thorough knowledge of the Mission, that you guys know about Swan (a.k.a The Birdman, a.k.a John Ratliff), the white bearded character almost seen at Adobe, sometimes sitting outside smoking, sometimes inside with or without a pigeon companion. Anyway, I made this comic after having a conversation with him one night, and I thought you guys might like to see it. Voila!

Voila:

Can’t get no results from the humans is right!

Previously:

The Pigeon Whisperer

Thanks, Iris!

Snapped on 17th and Mission.

It’s always nice when you find out who “that guy” is is. Today, “that guy” is the jolly Indian dude with the bumpin’ speaker-loaded trike. You’ve probably seen him riding around Dolores Park or Sunday Streets and said to yourself, “that guy RULES”.

Well, that guy introduced himself today on our Introduce Yourself page:

Hi folks -

My name is Amandeep but everyone calls me ‘Deep. I’ve lived in the Mission since I discovered it in ’96.

I’m all about making urban spaces the most vibrant, enjoyable and human places possible, and I love our particular slice o’ the planet. I’m doing my best to give back all the awesomeness that is the Mission & SF.

I’m involved in a lot of of SF stuff (SF League of Conservation Voters, SF Bicycle Coalition), local stuff (Dolores Park Movie Night) and my own crazy activities (my flash mob dance parties: flashdance.org) and my roving tricycle sound system – which you’ve probably heard blasting around our ‘hood and Dolores Park (http://www.facebook.com/trikeasaurus)

Rock On Mission Mission!

- ‘deep

Facebook him if you want, and next time you see him say, “What’s up, ‘deep!”

[photo by Velo Vogue]

Woah, I just realized that the most comprehensive definition of hipsters was achieved in this past week. First, Ben at Mission Loc@l:

Ben, I think you’re close. However, I think you’re leaving out some minority groups. Maybe add Asian folks who don’t wear Cal sweatshirts and we’re getting warmer.

Then this from MM reader Rod:

Bingo! Next, please.

Here’s a good one, what’s a “bro”? Lately, I’ve seen dudes who are clearly hippies being called “bros”. Are hippies also bros? I guess hippies might say the word “bro” on occasion. But I guess I do that too. Wait, am I a bro? I also can’t name a member of the Giants baseball team.

Our pal Becca has spent the last couple years traveling around Central American and India developing innovative new educational curricula that center around storytelling. Give the kids the tools they need to tell a story in an innovative way, and suddenly they’re teaching you.

Becca is a great storyteller herself; you might recall her Guatemalan bike machine story, her ocelot attack story, or her “Bill Clinton slept here” story, among others.

So now Becca has a pitch up on Spot.us, and it’s about halfway funded. She’s brought this new program to the States, beginning at the Mission elementary school where she worked before she headed abroad. (Here‘s the story of Becca’s return to her old classroom.) This time, she’s asking students to focus their storytelling efforts on their experiences with migration:

The collective voyages of these students compose a narrative of the way the Bay Area’s unique culture has emerged, and how it continues to evolve. I want students to step up and tell their stories in a way that an audience will understand across boundaries of language, class, and nationality. I’ll bring a good supply of pencils, cameras, colors, papers, scissors, books, songs, and ribbons; the goal is to figure out a universal language along the way.

She’ll document her findings, and we’ll all learn a thing or two.

Read all about Becca’s plan, and help fund it if you want to, here. There’s even a way to donate without actually donating any of your own money; just click the “Earn Credits” button.

Dave Chappelle caught me slyly trying to take a picture of him while we were each eating dinner at Pakwan.  He came over to the table and asked to see it.  Unimpressed by my photographic aptitude, he then asked me to delete it.

As I complied with his request and stammered an apology, a single grain of rice flew from my mouth and landed on the shoulder of his black sweater.  I wasn’t sure if he saw it or not, but I couldn’t take the risk, so I reached up and attempted to brush it off.  Naturally, that darn stubborn kernel wasn’t going anywhere.

Chappelle noticed and said, “I don’t even mind that you just spit a piece of rice on me.  Happens all the time.”  He pointed out that I didn’t really need to delete the photos since he was in a public space after all, but it was cool I did and that I should come outside for a real picture after he finished his cigarette.

When I walked out, I didn’t see him anywhere and figured I’d been duped by a master.  But then Mr. Chappelle emerged from a shiny black Escalade and said, “I wasn’t gonna flake on you.”  As my buddy snapped a photo of us, the beleaguered superstar muttered, “People are terrible.  There, I said it.”

Sorry for ruining your dinner Dave!  We all love you here in the Mission!  Please come back soon!

[Chappelle on 16th by jacobchills]

We finally managed to track down the actual photographer from last Friday’s Gaga-fest and had a chance to chat and set the story straight.  Everyone, please meet Claire, the Rosamunde-employee-turned-paparazzi, whom we last observed being a real scooter hero.  I’m just going to do my best paraphrasing what she told me, so let me get out of your way here real quick.

“It was Wednesday at about 1:30pm.  There were only two people or so eating in the restaurant when Lady Gaga came in accompanied by three Secret Service style bodyguards and her boyfriend Luc Karl (of drunkdiet.com) while another bodyguard waited in a car.  They had been driving up from San Jose after playing a show there Monday and had six hours to kill in San Francisco before they continued on to Portland for a show on Thursday night.

Gaga had been harboring a craving for Mexican food, so the couple made a quick stop in the Mission because they had heard it was the place to be for burritos.  However, the pop superstar saw the word “Sausage” on the Rosamunde sign and thought it was soooo funny that they just had to stop in.  Despite his belief that beer is the new chocolate cake and is bad for his abs, Luc nonetheless ordered a Unibroue Blanche De Chambly while Gaga settled for a nondescript white wine [pictured--the Zinfandel perhaps?  Also, this unfortunately means that Lady Gaga did not in fact stick a Rosamunde sausage in her mouth as previously believed].

After I served them, the couple chilled out with their drinks for a bit while messing with their phones.  At one point, Gaga asked me how to spell “Diarrhea,” presumably for her Twitter or Facebook or something.  As I spelled it out for her, she noticed my jewelry and asked me where I got it.  I told her I made it all myself (I have a degree in Metalsmithing) and she got excited and said she wanted me to make her a necklace for the MTV Music Awards.  After a few OMG’s I realized I didn’t have any other samples with me, but she told me not to worry and to just stop by Waterbar (where she was having dinner later that evening) after I finished my shift to drop some off.

Anyway, my coworkers still didn’t quite believe that it was really her, and my buddy Goose (the other guy in the picture) who was hanging out at the time was completely oblivious.  He asked her, “So, uh, do you have a band or something.”  “Oh, so is it your band, or are you just in the band?”  “Really, what’s it called?”  Gaga was surprised but amused, and just said, “Lady Gaga,” causing Goose to do a double take and stammer an apology or something.

She ended up hanging in the nearly empty Rosamunde for around 2 hours, just chatting away with me and some of my coworkers.  It was a pretty awesome experience–she’s a rad lady!  Her bodyguards kept reminding her that she had reservations at Waterbar at 7pm, but Lady Gaga was determined to get a real Mission burrito before she left San Francisco, so she asked us where she could find the best one.  We all agreed that she should check out El Farolito, which was of course located just kitty-corner to our spot.  With that, Gaga bade farewell, headed across the street with Luc and her bodyguards, and probably shoved an Al Pastor Super into her face about 15 minutes later.

Of course, I ended up having to work a double shift and by the time I made it all the way down to the Embarcadero, they were gone.  So if you see this, Lady Gaga, roll over to clairehummeldesign.com [the site isn't functional until next week, but here's the Facebook link in the meantime] and make me famous!!!”

Previously:

Lady Gaga Causing a Scene at Rosamunde

MEGA UPDATE!!!  We talked to Claire for the whole story!

SUPER UPDATE!!!  CREDIT CLAIRE WITH THE PHOTO!!!  ROCK STAR!!!

UPDATE!!!!  WE HAVE A PHOTO!  THANKS RACHEL!!!

Truthfully, our buddy Aaron gave us the scoop back on Saturday, but due to a hectic schedule we were only just able to follow up on corroborating the rumor.  Anyway, we finally spoke with the staff and confirmed that Lady Gaga herself did indeed indulge in a sausage from Rosamunde on Mission at 24th when she happened to be in the Bay Area last Thursday for a show in San Jose.

The pop sensation was in a playful mood, possibly due to imbibing several signature beverages along with her bratwurst [ed. we actually don't know what kind of meat she was eating, but we could ask if you care enough].  She was with her “boyfriend” who also kept reminding her that they had dinner reservations at 7pm at some fancy restaurant downtown.

We have no idea why Gaga insisted on a sausage right before dinner, or how no one thought to snap a picture of her during the duration of her stay (Nice work, CLAIR).  For what it’s worth, only one member of the staff recognized her at all, with one coworker for instance simply dismissomg her as just another “professional.”

We do however know for a fact that Lady Gaga picked up one of those charming Rosamunde t-shirts, so look for her to be wearing that at her next TMZ reveal.  We’ll have accounts from more people who were there coming up soon, so stay tuned if you feel the need to get your paparazzi on.